Two fire engines and 10 firefighters and officers dealt with a fire in a block of flats on Fleming Court in Croydon, Friday night.
The fire badly affected a flat on the ground floor of a two storey property. Fire crews wearing breathing apparatus confined the blaze to the room of origin, but there was heavy smoke damage in the flat and communal areas.
Firefighters led two men to safety from a flat on the second floor, and thankfully there were no injuries.
A smoke alarm was fitted in the flat and actuated, alerting the neighbour to call the Brigade.
A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said:
"Yet again smoke alarms help saving lives. Our advice is to have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home and the safest option is have the alarms linked together. This will give the earliest warning if there is a fire in your home."
The Brigade was called at 2013 and the fire was under control by 2103. Fire crews from Croydon and Wallington fire stations attended the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation by fire officers and the police.